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Eamonn O’Mahony was born in Middleton, County Cork, on 30 August 1934, the son of James and Máire O’Mahony (née Tobin). He received his secondary education at the Seraphic College in Rochestown and entered the Capuchin novitiate on 3 October 1952. He took Brendan as his religious name upon joining the Order. He undertook his early academic studies in University College Cork, where he obtained a BA (1956), followed by an MA in 1957, both with first class honours. He then went to Ard Mhuire Friary near Creeslough in County Donegal for his theological studies and was ordained to the priesthood on 24 September 1960. From there he proceeded to the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome where he was awarded a Licentiate in Sacred Theology (STL) two years later. From there he went to the University of Louvain in Belgium, where he obtained a PhD ‘Summa cum Laude’ in 1964. On his return to Ireland, he was appointed to the Chair of Philosophy in University College Cork, a professorship, his uncle, Fr. James O’Mahony OFM Cap., had occupied before him. There followed thirty-four years of busy academic work, during which scores of students destined for the priesthood in numerous congregations and orders received their grounding in philosophical studies. After several years as a member of the Provincial Definitory (Council), he was elected Irish Capuchin Provincial Minister in 1976, and was re-elected in 1979. In the latter year, under his guidance, the Western American Capuchin Province came into being in California and Oregon. In Ireland, he oversaw the opening of the Capuchin friary in Carlow in 1977. In 1982, the friars also took charge of Gurranabraher parish in the Diocese of Cork and Ross. He continued in his role as philosophy professor in University College Cork until his retirement in 1999. He died in Holy Trinity Capuchin Friary on Father Mathew Quay in Cork on 14 September 2020. He was buried in the cemetery adjacent to Rochestown Friary in County Cork.

Baptismal name: Eamonn O’Mahony
Religious name: Fr. Brendan O’Mahony OFM Cap.
Date of birth: 30 Aug. 1934
Place of birth: Midelton, County Cork (Diocese of Cloyne)
Name of father: James O'Mahony (Séamus Ó Mathúna)
Name of mother: Máire O’Mahony (née Tobin)
Date of reception into the Capuchin Order: 3 Oct. 1952
Date of first profession: 4 Oct. 1953
Date of final profession: 4 Oct. 1956
Date of ordination (as priest): 24 Sept. 1960
Educational attainments: BA, 1st class hons., UCC (1956); MA, 1st class hons, UCC (1957); Licentiate in Sacred Theology, Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome (1962); PhD, Catholic University of Louvain (1964)
Leadership positions: Provincial Definitor (Councillor), 1967-70, 1970-3; Provincial Minister, 1976-82
Date of death: 14 Sept. 2020
Place of death: Holy Trinity Capuchin Friary, Cork
Place of burial: Cemetery, Rochestown Capuchin Friary, County Cork

Baptismal name: John O’Mahony
Religious name: Fr. Alfred O’Mahony OFM Cap.
Date of birth: 21 Jan. 1912
Place of birth: Farrankeal, Rathmore, County Cork (Diocese of Kerry)
Name of father: Michael O’Mahony
Name of mother: Nora O’Mahony (née Cahill)
Date of reception into the Capuchin Order: 3 Oct. 1932
Date of first profession: 4 Oct. 1933
Date of final profession: 4 Oct. 1936
Date of ordination (as priest): 23 June 1940
Educational attainments: BA (1936)
Missionary activities: Travelled to Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia) on 8 Apr. 1942. Regular Superior of the Livingstone Mission from 1950 to 1967. He returned to Ireland on 5 Oct. 1973.
Date of death: 25 Dec. 1988
Place of burial: Cemetery, Capuchin Friary, Rochestown, County Cork

Arthur O’Leary was born in the townland of Acres near Dunmanway, County Cork, in c.1729. He was educated locally. In about 1747 he travelled to France and entered the Capuchin friary at Saint-Malo. He later served as a French army chaplain, and during the Seven Years War (1756-63) was assigned to visit prisons and hospitals where prisoners of war were confined. O’Leary returned to Ireland in 1771 and became a member of the Capuchin community in Cork city. He officiated at a small chapel in Blackamoor Lane (sometimes spelt Blackmoor Lane) which opened shortly after his arrival in the city. Through his many writings O’Leary actively campaigned to secure the relief of Irish Catholics from the Penal Laws. Discouragement at the ascendancy of forces opposed to religious reform in Ireland may have inspired O’Leary's decision to move in 1789 from Cork to London, where he served as a chaplain to the Spanish embassy. He soon quarrelled with his superior in that post, Fr. Thomas Hussey (1746-1803), a future bishop of Waterford and Lismore and the first president of Maynooth College. He transferred to St Patrick’s Chapel, Sutton St., Soho Square, where he ministered to a congregation that included many Irish members. In his new situation O’Leary was active in efforts to secure relief for English Catholics and exerted himself on behalf of distressed French émigrés. O’Leary died in London on 8 January 1802. He was buried in St. Pancras churchyard but in 1891 his remains were reinterred in the Catholic cemetery at Kensal Green.

Herbert O’Hanlon was born in Dublin on 25 March 1890. He joined the Capuchin Franciscans in October 1908 and took Reginald as his religious name. He was ordained to the priesthood on 1 July 1917. Soon after his ordination, he was assigned to the American mission custody and spent several years ministering on the West Coast. In 1924 the Irish Capuchins took over the administration of the Old Mission Santa Inés near Solvang in California. Fr. Regniald was appointed assistant pastor to Fr. Albert Bibby OFM Cap. He briefly took charge of the Mission in 1929. Seemingly he was a popular friar with parishioners and a local newspaper in Santa Barbara referred to him as a ‘true son of the Seraphic Francis’. Fr. Reginald returned to Ireland in 1934. He was initially assigned to Holy Trinity Friary in Cork but was later transferred to the Church Street community in Dublin. Aside from preaching, one of his principal ministries was the writing of short devotional booklets published by the Catholic Truth Society of Ireland (CTSI). He died in Dublin on 13 May 1976 and was buried in Glasnevin Cemetery.

Baptismal name: Herbert O’Hanlon
Religious name: Fr. Reginald O’Hanlon OFM Cap.
Date of birth: 25 Mar. 1890
Place of birth: Compton House, Dolphin’s Barn, Dublin
Name of father: Michael O’Hanlon
Name of mother: Catherine O’Hanlon (née Kelly)
Date of reception into the Capuchin Order: 18 Oct. 1908
Date of first profession: 26 May 1910
Date of final profession: 21 Dec. 1913
Date of ordination (as priest): 1 July 1917
Missionary activities: Travelled to the Western United States mission in 1924. He returned to Ireland in 1934.
Date of death: 13 May 1976
Place of death: Church Street, Dublin
Place of burial: Glasnevin Cemetery, Dublin

Baptismal name: Patrick O’Hanlon
Religious name: Fr. Oliver O’Hanlon OFM Cap.
Date of birth: 14 May 1902
Place of birth: 27 Michael Street, Waterford City (Diocese of Waterford & Lismore)
Name of father: David O’Hanlon (Grocer)
Name of mother: Sarah O’Hanlon (née Murphy)
Date of reception into the Capuchin Order: 17 Sept. 1920
Date of first profession: 18 Sept. 1901
Date of final profession: 29 Dec. 1925
Date of ordination (as priest): 19 June 1928
Educational attainments: BA (1924)
Missionary activities: Travelled to South Africa in April 1930; Elected a discreet for the African Mission on 21 June 1935. He was reappointed a discreet on 14 Oct. 1938
Date of death: 11 Aug. 1957
Place of death: Parow, Cape Town, South Africa
Place of burial: Maitland Cemetery, Cape Town, South Africa

Baptismal name: William O’Donovan
Religious name: Br. Finbarr O’Donovan OFM Cap.
Date of birth: 3 Jan. 1912
Place of birth: 4 Kinsale Cottages, Cork
Name of father: Daniel O’Donovan (Labourer)
Name of mother: Catherine O’Donovan (née Casey)
Date of reception into the Capuchin Order: 21 Oct. 1951
Date of first profession: 22 Oct. 1952
Date of final profession: 22 Oct. 1955
Date of death: 13 Jan. 1988
Place of death: St. Bonaventure’s Friary, Cork
Place of burial: Cemetery, Rochestown Capuchin Friary, Cork

John O’Dea was born to Kieran and Mary O’Dea (née Doyle) of William Street in Kilkenny in 1851. He joined the Capuchin Order in England in 1868 and took Laurence as his religious name. He was ordained a priest by the Bishop of Southwark on 3 May 1874 at the Capuchin Friary in Pantasaph, Flintshire, in North Wales. He joined the Irish Capuchins shortly afterwards and from 1874 to 1881 was Novice Master in Le Mans, France, where the Irish friars studied. He travelled to India in 1881 and was later appointed a chaplain to the British forces stationed there. He assumed responsibility for the construction of the Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Joseph in Shimla in 1885. O’Dea returned to Britain in 1891. Having re-joined the British Capuchin Province, he served as guardian (local superior) in several English Capuchin Houses including Olton (Oxford), Erith (London) and Crawley (Sussex). Although advancing in age (he was at this point nearly sixty), he volunteered for further missionary work in Arabia from 1907 to 1909. At the outbreak of the First World War, he again put forward his name for military chaplaincy. His offer was accepted, and he was made chaplain to a large convalescent camp established at Eastbourne on the English Coast for wounded and shell-shocked soldiers of the conflict. At its peak, the main camp had room for 3,500 injured soldiers. Overburdened by the pressures of his work, O’Dea died in the Military Hospital at Palace Green in London on 4 November 1917. He was buried in the cemetery of the Friary Church of St Francis in Crawley, Sussex.

A native of Tarbert in County Kerry, Thomas O’Connor was born on 16 July 1859. At the age of seventeen, he joined the Capuchin Franciscans and took Matthew as his religious name. He was ordained a priest on 27 August 1882. He held several senior leadership positions in the Order in Ireland and was twice elected Provincial Minister (1893-6 and 1898-1901). He served as President of Father Mathew Memorial Hall on Church Street in Dublin from 1894 to 1895. Much of his later life in ministry was spent in Kilkenny and he died in the Capuchin Friary in the city on Sunday, 27 April 1930. He was buried in Foulkstown Cemetery just outside Kilkenny city.

Baptismal name: Thomas O’Connor
Religious name: Fr. Matthew O’Connor OFM Cap.
Date of birth: 16 July 1859
Place of birth: Tarbert, County Kerry
Name of father: John O’Connor
Name of mother: Ellen O’Connor (née Heagerty)
Date of reception into the Capuchin Order: 16 July 1876
Date of first profession: July 1877
Date of final profession: 4 Oct. 1880
Date of ordination (as priest): 27 Aug. 1882
Leadership positions: Provincial Minister: 1893-6, 1898-1901; Provincial Definitor (Councillor): 1885-8, 1887-90, 1890-3, 1905-8, 1910-3; Custos: 1887, 1890, 1895, 1901, 1907.
Date of death: 27 Apr. 1930
Place of death: Capuchin Friary, Kilkenny
Place of burial: Foulkstown Cemetery, County Kilkenny

Baptismal name: Joseph Andrew O’Connell
Religious name: Fr. Vivian O’Connell OFM Cap.
Date of birth: 2 Mar. 1914
Place of birth: 12 Claude Road, Drumcondra, Dublin
Name of father: Michael O’Connell
Name of mother: Kathleen O’Connell (née Kelly)
Date of reception into the Capuchin Order: 3 Oct. 1932
Date of first profession: 4 Oct. 1933
Date of final profession: 4 Oct. 1936
Date of ordination (as priest): 23 June 1940
Educational attainments: BA (1936)
Missionary activities: Travelled to California, United States, in 1946
Date of death: 21 June 1952
Place of burial: Holy Cross Cemetery, California, United States

From the ‘Necrology of the Western American Province’ (2005):

Joseph O’Connell was born in Dublin on 2 March 1914. On joining the Capuchins, he took the name Vivian in religion. Our information on Fr. Vivian is unfortunately very limited. After his ordination in 1940 he became Vice Master of Novices at Rochestown Friary in County Cork. He was sent to the American mission in 1946 and was assigned to minister at Blessed Sacrament parish in Elk in California. Shortly after arriving, he became ill and was diagnosed with cancer. He was transferred to Our Lady of Angels parish in Burlingame for treatment. He spent some time in hospital and died on 21 June 1952. He was buried in Holy Cross Cemetery in Colma in California.

Baptismal name: John O’Callaghan
Religious name: Fr. Kieran O’Callaghan OFM Cap.
Date of birth: 28 Nov. 1893
Place of birth: Rathonoane, Crookstown, County Cork
Name of father: Daniel O’Callaghan
Name of mother: Margaret O’Callaghan (née Duggan)
Date of reception into the Capuchin Order: 14 Sept. 1910
Date of first profession: 17 Sept. 1911
Date of final profession: 8 July 1916
Date of ordination (as priest): 3 May 1918
Educational attainments: BA (1914); MA (1915)
Leadership positions: Secretary to the Irish Capuchin Province, 1931-7; Served as guardian (local superior) of St. Bonaventure’s Friary, Cork, for seven years; philosophy lecturer, University College Cork; Custos General, 1952-5.
Date of death: 26 July 1967
Place of death: Cork
Place of burial: Cemetery, Rochestown Capuchin Friary, County Cork